Extensible concealed dipper blade for snuffbox covers



June10, 1952 LA VERNE 1.. SCHUH EXTENSIBLE CONCEALED DIPPER BLADE FOR SNUFFBOX COVERS Filed April 11. 1949 Patented June 10, 1952 UNITED STATES PATIENT OFFICE EXTENSIBLE CONCEALED DIPPER. BLADE FOR. SNIIFFBOX covnas La Verne L. Schuh, Rockford, I'll.

Application April 11, 1949, Serial No. 86,780

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in snuff boxes, and is more particularly concerned with an improved cover which incorporates a novel dipper to enable more easily taking out a desired amount of snuff from the box, and avoiding waste and improving sanitation.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a slidable dipper on the inside of the cover, one end of which works in a slot in the rim, and the other end of which has a, rivet slidable in a diametrically extending slot in the cover, whereby the dipper is concealed and out of the way and kept retracted and in a clean sanitary condition when the snuff box is closed and yet may be easily extended to the desired distance by means of the rivet at a push-button, and held by said rivet in the adjusted position while the dipper is used in removing snuff from the box and depositing it in the mouth.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, inwhich Fig. 1 is a plan view of a snuff box cover embodying the novel dipper of my invention, and

Fig. 2 is a side view of a snuff box with the cover and upper portion of the box shown in section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

The same reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts in these views.

The reference numeral 3 designates a snuff box, and 4 the cover therefor, the annularly flanged rim 5 of which has a snug friction fit on the box, in the usual way. The dipper blade 6 is slidably guided in a slot 1 at its one end and has a rivet 8 on its other end, the shank portion 9 of which has an easy working fit in a slot l0 provided in the cover 4 extending substantially diametrically thereof.

In operation, the dipper disposed in the retracted position, shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with very little, if any, of the arcuate outer end I l projecting from the flange 5, so that the dipper is substantially concealed and out of the way and kept in a good sanitary condition While the snuff box is being carried in the pocket or left lying on a work-bench. The dipper is held frictionally in its retracted position by contact with the edge of the snufi box but may, nevertheless, be quickly extended for use when the cover 4 is removed from the box 3 to dip out a desired pinch of snuff. The head of the rivet 8 is used as a push-button in moving the dipper 6 in or out, and serves also as a good finger-hold to hold the dipper in the adjusted position relative to the cover while it is being used to pick up the snufi and deposit it in the 6 when not in use is mouth. The rivet '8 Working in the slot I0 positively limits movement of the blade in both directions, so that the user never has to pay any attention to this dipper attachment, and once he has supplied himself with this improved cover, he can use it indefinitely, substituting the improved cover for the conventional cover upon each purchase of a box of snuff, in the event the snuff is not sold with the improved cover. This dipper is so handy that the snuff user will no longer have to use his fingers, or rely on a stick or steel scale, or what not, that may be lying around, and in that way he avoids waste and gets greater convenience and better sanitation. The snuff box so equipped is substantially the same size as the ordinary unimproved snuff box, there being only the small projecting head of the rivet 8 and little, if any, of the outer end of the dipper blade 6 visible, neither of which is at all objectionable in carrying the snufi box in the pocket.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims have been drawn to cover all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

I claim:

l. A substantially circular cover for snuff boxes and the like having a depending annular flange in which a narrow elongated slot is provided in the plane of the underside of said cover, said cover having an elongated slot provided therein diametrically thereof and directed toward the slot in the flange, and a thin, flat elongated dipper blade slidably guided at its one end in said first slot and having a fastener on the other end projecting through and guided in the second slot provided in said cover for manual operation of the fastener as a knob from the top of said cover, said blade being adapted to be moved by means of said fastener on the top of said cover endwise from a retracted position disposed substantially Wholly beneath the cover to an extended position, the second slot limiting retracting movement of the blade so that its end portion remains engaged in the first slot in the flange where the end portion of the blade is adapted to be frictionally engaged by the top edge of the snuff box to hold the blade in retracted position.

2. A substantially circular cover for snuff boxes and the like having a depending annular flange in which a narrow elongated slot is provided in the plane of the underside of said cover, said cover having an elongated slot provided therein diametrically thereof and directed toward 3 the slot in the flange, and a, thin, flat elongated dipper blade slidably guided at its one end in said first slot and having a fastener on the other end projecting through and guided in the second slot provided in said cover for manual operation of the fastener as a, knob from the top of said cover. said blade being adapted to be moved by means of said fastener on the top of said cover endwise from a retracted position disposed substantially wholly beneath the cover to an extended position, the outer end of said dipper blade being struck on an arc of substantially the same radius as the flange of said cover, and said second slot being of a length to permit retracting the arcuate end of the blade to a position substantially flush 15 with the outside of said flange so that its end tracted position.

LA VERNE L. 'SCHUH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,157,537 Hess Oct. 19, 1915 1,772,322v Peterson et a1. Aug. 5, 1930 Cofiey Mar. 13, 1945 

